"You have to give him credit for stepping out in front," Kwittken said. "A lot of CEOs hide in times of crisis. [But] I do think it would be wise to put other people forward at this time and to take a step back."

Kwittken has some survival advice in the clip for Hayward, as well, and talks about whether competitors should get involved as the industry's reputation comes into focus:

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Responses:

Bill Huey, Strategic Communications, Atlanta (5/25):
Tony Hayward should't step back--he should step down. He's an equivocator and a qualifier who lurches from pillar to post about what BP is doing to solve this problem. I can't imagine Exxon dealing with the same problem in this way, nor can I understand why the entire oil industry isn't working around the clock to cap that well. This isn't about credit or liability any more--it's about saving the viability of deepwater drilling as an industry practice.